Artists are associated with a profile level. During their career, an artist may remain on one level or bounce back and forth between two. Many factors may determine the level of an artist, such as their design, their personal story, or how extensively they have been exhibited.

Artists are associated with a profile level. During their career, an artist may remain on one level or bounce back and forth between two. Many factors may determine the level of an artist, such as their design, their personal story, or how extensively they have been exhibited.

“The Dreamtime is the mythological representation of what Aboriginal people carry in their minds. The source of life! This knowledge has not just been planted in their minds, it is taught and structured through initiation and ceremony.”- Professor A.P. Elkin, Professor of Anthology, 1920’s-1930’s.

“The Dreamtime is the mythological representation of what Aboriginal people carry in their minds. The source of life! This knowledge has not just been planted in their minds, it is taught and structured through initiation and ceremony.”- Professor A.P. Elkin, Professor of Anthology, 1920’s-1930’s.

Awelye for Arnkerrthe by Ada Bird Petyarre (SOLD)

At 60cm x 60cm, this little painting has all the hallmarks of a classic Ada - Ada's elongated breast contours with bold linear prints mirroring that on an arc-linear chest, and a clearly defined naval area. Imperfect yet deliberate markings.

Traditional ochre colours continue to connect this piece with authenticity to the culture and ceremony that was once performed by Ada.

Imbuing the piece with sophistication, the white brightens favourably and allows this piece to befit any space.

- exhibition excerpt

The arc-linear work and breast illustration in Ada’s painting represents awelye (women’s ceremony and body paint designs) for the Arnkerrthe Dreamtime story. This story belongs to the people from Atnangkere and Alhalkere country in the Utopia region, northeast of Alice Springs.

The women smear their bodies with animal fat then trace these patterns onto their breasts, arms and thighs. Powders ground from red and yellow ochre (clays), charcoal and ash are used as body paint and applied with a flat stick with soft padding. This stick is called a ‘typale’. The women sing as each woman takes her turn to be ‘painted-up’.

Their songs relate to the ancestral travels of the Mountain Devil Lizard as it makes the long journey north to Waramugu country, carrying the ochre for body paint in the small sac on the back of its neck.

The Mountain Devil Lizardhas the ability to camouflage itself by changing colours. The traditional colours used for ceremony are ochre red, yellow and white.

The navel area is depicted in this piece by the two bands of short parallel lines reaching across the centre of the painting.